역사 1991년 - 패키지 Q 공습의 실패

[위종민]

1991년 1월 19일, F-16 56기에 F-4G 와일드위즐, F-15C가 추가된 대규모 스트라이크 패키지가 AAA와 SAM으로 엄중히 방호되고 있는 바그다드 근방의 알 투와이다 핵 연구 센터를 공습하려 했지만 여러 문제로 공습은 실패로 돌아가고 F-16 2기가 손실됐다고 하네요. 

공습 전날 늦은 시간에야 공습 명령이 내려졌고, 뒤늦게 알 트와이타와 오시라크 원자로가 목표에 추가돼 스트라이크 패키지가 매우 강화된 AAA 및 SAM 벨트를 통과해야 했다고 합니다. 

또한 악천후로 공중급유기들이 조기 회항을 늦추기 위해 속도를 늦췄고, 일부 F-16은 공중급유 후 본대에 너무 뒤처져 기지로 되돌아가야 했고 F-4G는 모든 대공포대를 제거하지도 못했고 F-16이 모두 표적에 도달하기 전에 떠나야 했다고 합니다. 

또한 목표 상공은 구름으로 덮여 있었다고 하네요. 

공습에 나선 F-16은 SAM과 AAA의 반격에 휘말렸고 많은 F-16이 임무를 포기하고 폭탄과 연료탱크를 제티슨했다고 하고, 결과적으로 F-16 2기를 손실했다고 하네요. 

이런 대규모 스트라이크 패키지의 실패로 그 후 미공군은 바그다드 등 고위험 표적의 공습엔 F-117을 투입했다고 합니다. 

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-of-package-q-airstrike-the-largest-operational-f-16-mission-of-all-time-that-made-usaf-realize-that-big-formations-werent-as-good-as-stealthy-precision-strikes/

• Aviation History
• Cold War Era
• Military Aviation

The story of Package Q Airstrike, the largest operational F-16 mission of all time that made USAF realize that big formations weren’t as good as stealthy precision strikes

By Dario Leone

Jul 9 2023

Sponsored by: Mortons Books

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The ‘Package Q Airstrike’ took place on Jan. 19, 1991 and it was the largest combined strike of Operation Desert Storm and employed the largest numbers of F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets ever in such an operation.

The ‘Package Q Airstrike’ took place on Jan. 19, 1991 and it was the largest combined strike of Operation Desert Storm and employed the largest numbers of F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets ever in such an operation. As told by Bertie Simmonds in his book F-16 Fighting Falcon, it was also the operation that made the coalition realize that big unwieldy formations weren’t as good as stealthy, precision strikes.

The large force sent against Al Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center near Baghdad was aimed is dealing a knockout blow to the Iraqi defenses, but a series of problems instead led to an unsuccessful outcome and two aircraft being lost. A total of 56 F-16s were used in the raid, coming from the 388th TFW and 401st TFW along with McDonnell at Douglas F-4G ‘Wild Weasel’ aircraft and top cover provided by F-15C Eagles.

Doha International Airport : An ordnance trailer is parked in front of two US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft from the 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, Torrejon Air Base, Spain. The F-16C aircraft are armed with bombs and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles as they are prepared for a mission during Operation Desert Storm. At right are three french F-1C Mirage fighter aircraft of 12e Escadre de Chasse are armed with Matra R550 Magic II missiles.

The issues began with some orders for the strike coming to late, the day before the strike, while overnight on the 18th/19th other targets— this time in downtown Baghdad — were added. This meant that after hitting Al Thwaitha and the Osirak nuclear reactor, the whole force had to fly through concentrated (and by now very alert) SAM belts and triple-A units. Adding to these issues were the fact that the F-16s were heavily laden — bombs, two fuel tanks and two AIM-9 Sidewinders, while the F-4Gs were only carrying two High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles and fuel tanks.

Even before the mission, things were getting complicated, thanks to bad weather and issues with the air-to-air refuelling — tankers were throttling back to avoid having to turn back early and this meant a number of F-16s were so far behind the main force after they tanked, they had to be sent back to base.

On the way in to the target all aircraft were subjected to triple-A and SAMs and under this barrage communication between the various groups in the strike package began to suffer. The Wild Weasel F-4Gs did engage some of the threats, but not all of them were over the target nor did they shoot all their HARMs and — to make matters worse — they had to leave before all of the F-16 strikers were over the target area itself.

A US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft from the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing refuels from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker as another F-16 waits in formation during Operation Desert Storm.

Cloud cover also obscured the target, making things yet worse.

This was F-16 pilot Keith Rosenkranz’s mission from hell’. In his book Vipers in the Storm: Diary of a Gulf War Fighter Pilot he recalls: “The flak is thicker than soup. Within seconds my RWR (Radar Warning Receiver) scope fills up again. Iraqi gunners know exactly where I am and they have me locked. The launch indications are continuous: it finally reaches a point where I can no longer hear them. My mind is task saturated. I do hear radio calls and tones from my RWR but I don’t have time to discern their meaning: nor could I — not with all my energy focused on hitting the target. If I get shot down, then so be it. I am not going to miss this time.” Despite the Facility being obscured by smoke, Rosenkranz hit the target and made it back to base, two others would not be so lucky.

Other problems saw the strike package get strung out — differences in the performance of the various F-16s and the different engines saw to that. By the time the F-4G Wild Weasels had egressed, the F-16s were on their own and — while previously many missiles had been launched ‘unguided’ – these were now slaved to their targets for them to choose from…

Remains of F-16C #87-0257 from the 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron ‘Lucky Devils’, shot down over Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. 

Many F-16s hit their targets, either primary of secondary ones, but many others were forced to jettison bombs and tanks before hitting the target itself. It was foolish to do anything else with the number of SAMs in the air.

Some pilots said as many as 20 to 30 SAMs had been fired, as they tried to hit the target and then get the hell out of there. Many aircraft were hit and two were lost – both pilots surviving the war as prisoners of war. And still the pain went on… this time the Iraqi Air Force began to shadow the strike force as it left the target area. Eight MiG-29s closed on the rear of the F-16 formation as they struggled to get heck out of dodge. To add insult to injury, the F-15C top-cover had already left with the F-4Gs…

Safe in the knowledge that they could best anyone in air-combat, some of the F-16s turned around to face their attackers and the MiG-29s turned tail and fled. This meant that — by the time they crossed the border — some of the F-16s were perilously low on fuel. It’s said more than one tanker crew disobeyed orders and crossed the border to top up the tanks of a few thirsty Vipers.

This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET  YOURS.  F-16CM Fighting Falcon 20th Fighter Wing, 77th Fighter Squadron “Gamblers”, SW/94-0044 – Shaw AFB, SC

These difficulties led to the US adopting different tactics — and swiftly. It’s to their credit that they didn’t blindly send another large strike package into a heavily defended area. Instead high-risk targets in heavily-defended areas like Baghdad and Al Tuwaitha would receive the attentions of the F-1 17A Nighthawk stealth attack aircraft.

F-16 Fighting Falcon is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.

Photo credit: Staff Sgt. Lee F. Corkran / U.S. Air Force

This model is available from AirModels – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS.

[백선호]

요 영상이 그 때의 것입니다.

https://youtu.be/2uh4yMAx2UA

[이은우]

DCS World로 현대 항공전 재현 영상을 제작하는 Showtime112에서도 패키지 Q를 다룬 영상을 업로드한 적이 있습니다.

https://youtu.be/uNBrwbWmlo8